Category: GREAT SPACES

I ran across a sweet little summer t-shirt that my daughter outgrew. She loved this one so much that we saved it, intending to do something fun with it. Well….today was the day. Summer is slipping by. Truth be told, fall is my favorite season, BUT that means that our oldest goes back to college and our other two are in school all day. So….I am going to continue to hold on to summer as long as I can. I will turn my head when I walk by the back-to-school aisles at Target, and I will savor the little seasonal touches in our home….including my darling new pillow creation. It started with this tee.

I have always found myself drawn to pieces of art portraying ships at sea, particularly the ones sailing in a “happy” sea as opposed to those in turmoil. I recently discovered that my maternal grandmother (Grandma Soffia) always wanted a “ship in every room” of her house. Pretty cool. It completely makes sense for her considering she was transported from Iceland to the landlocked Midwest as a young bride. She literally grew up about a block from the Atlantic Ocean. Is it possible that a little piece of the sea came down through her DNA? Maybe so. My momma tells this little story about ships, the sea and love. <3

Does anyone else have one of “those baskets?” You know…the one where you throw all incoming mail, school papers, receipts, etc. Let me show you how I created a great filing system on a wall in my kitchen. This is only for short-term filing….bills needing to be paid, recent receipts, tax info for the next return…you get the idea. Long-term filing goes in file boxes at our house. Honestly, those are quite organized, but I struggle to keep on top of the daily paperwork. Here’s my plan:

How many of you have small, sentimental objects tucked away in drawers or closets? Maybe you have saved your grandfather’s pocket watch, a bowtie from a special occasion, a baby bracelet, your child’s favorite toy….the possibilities are endless. It’s time to pull those out! You can create simple, personalized art that will make you smile each time you glance at it. I mentioned in my last post that I think it is important to fill your home with accessories that are meaningful to you. It is extra special when those accessories tell a story, and I have a story to share with you.

How many of you have a breaker box in an unfortunate place? We have been in our home for 15 years, and I have tried different ways to disguise ours which landed right on a main wall in our basement. I finally found a great solution last year. Our wall has never looked better! Check it out.

YEARS ago, I pinned an image of a DIY dry erase board from Better Homes and Gardens. Also years ago (almost a dozen!), we purchased a cabin on a lake near here that came fully furnished. You would not believe all of the fun, colorful accessories we inherited! One such item was a great big tropical print that no longer works with our cabin decor. But, oh, I had plans for it!!

HELLO! I’M KAREN

Hi there! I am thrilled that you have visited my site. I am a momma of three and have been married to my college sweetheart for over 22 years.
I believe that we are all called to give with love in even the simplest of ways...spending extra time wrapping a gift, setting a beautiful table, throwing a party, decorating our home for the seasons or filling bellies with something wonderful!Read more...